The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1887-05-06

WfOugs u VIII 20 found closely allied IL
. the liquor traffic as IL now carried on il
our land.
Undsr this impeachment oftbs traffic
i We can conceive Of no good reason, nc
1 just plea for the eontisntd existence oi
) the traffic under the license, aud shield
ed by the sanctions Of law. II 1t must
|. exist--wbish We do not concede II
} should only exist contraband Of law ,and
with the brand Of public disapproval
add legal outlew.y upon Il. Has not
the time folly come TO apply to this
deadly, festering sore in tbe community
The surgeons knife Of abaolnte extru-
sion, the clean causefy Of abolition Z
j MiIdsr remedies ara exhaustei in
vain against 10. The softer agencies Of
Good Tsmplai's Lodses, Woman's
Christian Unions, the Ctristian Church.
es have failed to effect q cure. The
home has protested in vain. What is
lef. to people that have 30 lobg suf-
fsred the burden of all the wror gs tha,
this traffic has hsaped npon then, bu,
to pronounce the decision OF absolute
legal prohibition asaiast itl
Aud why not ! The laws to-day fer
bid and punish the very crimes, such
~ gambling, drunkenness, obse.nity,
lewdness, murdsr-of Of which this traffic
is the prolific fou.taiu. They are pro.
hibited IN law, though they do exist 10
fact. Why, then, should 1ot that from
which they 80 generally spring be also
prohibited 10 Law
| l. Il because the community has no
right thus to protees i,self This none
will claim.
/ Is it because Individual Interests may
possibly, anifrr, aud personal liberty
nav, IN some Cases, bs made 10 yield to
the pnslic good This il Ia tie very
nature Of law, aud IL, ia any case, Il
were ever jns,iiAbls it sureI, is jastiGi-
abls here. Law must hol the balance
firmly betwesn personal IiLelty and
public good between advantage to the
oommunity and the private tish hts Of
The individual. And if IL should hap
pen tl.ai. ip adopting .hs Prohihitory
Amendment, sone peraon's fright" to
infiics an injury upon the public should
% restricted, Il should be remembered
thas that pefson is himself member oi
the community thus attempting 10 pro.
secs itsslf from the wrong Of his deed,
aud that be can have no just right to do
I publie wrong.
TIE liquor lrsilis stands condemned
befrs the bar Of public orinioa. Dis-
tinctions aought to Be made beewesu
the various branches Of tbs tfsiEic, fail
utterly TO show mofe than that there
mas be grades and degrees Of evil iI-
aaence and Ell, Of in II. The advocate,
J OF high license have had an open field
frcm 1872 to 1887 TO / ASA laws to thai
end, aud TO demonstrate tha. high Ii.
! canse viii restrict the traffic aud dimin.
> ish It's evils. Every effort to make cf
{ fsctise legislation FIR such purpose hal
failed. Some Of the strongest danunci
ations Of The evils OF the liquor traffic
; and It's allies, have proceeded from th'
= same sources whence ID now flowing op
4 position to the passage Of Constitution
y al Prohibitions.
But no friend Of prohibition has fail
/ cd to support " vote aud influence i
o tbe legislature every measure herss
= proposed to regulate or restrict. Tn
n defeat of such legislation does not lie .
The door Of those who are nov appeal
= ing to the voters Of Oregon TO pass th
II Constitutional Amendment. Il is cur
st ceded that many friends of tempsranc
il do not believe that Constitutional Pro
he hibition Is the bcst remedy fnr th
/ wrongs resulting from the liquor trafii'
: But, to demonstrate that Constitution
N al Prohibition in Desirable, wise, an
practical, and that II can be made e
ID fectiYe, Ito show that il has resul.e'
ia whatever honestly tried, in immcnl
material and moral benefit to the con
r. munity, Ito call as witnesses, official
statesmen, ministers of religion, journa
IL ists, and writer's, whose names q
know, whose characters are fespecte
/ whose testimony demands and will II
be ceive credit throughout Oregon, Ito 4
peal TO the clergy of ail branches of 4
OF Christian church, to all educators
young,-to enlist the women Of Oreg'
or as anxiliariss in this war,--to bring
y hear on the voters of the State all |
of fuences appealing to self-respect in t
O. individual, and regard for the grown
youth of this State are the aims, Al
e- will be the work of tha Pfehibi 10
ms Amendment League. Their desire
gh to so conduct this campaign that
complaint can be justly preferr
he against the temper and spirit of tn
Ie- work.
Those who have enlisted viii
mo thronnh Ills nannairn TO The end. I